The Geography of the Puranas c11.s6.17

c11.s6.17

(2) Bhoja. The Chambal basin as a whole, as visualised above, can be sub-divided into two distinct natural sub-regions, one drained by the Chambal and its southern tributaries and the other drained by a major and important northern tributary, the Banas (the Parnasa of the Purāṇas). These two sub-regions of the Chambal basin are separated by a series of ridges of the Aravallis, running along an axis coinciding with a line joining Mandalagarh, Bijolia and Nimach. The natural centre of this region is Bhilwara, about 80 miles north-east of Udaipur. This region appears to be the Bhoja janapada of the Purāṇas, since it satisfies all the conditions of space-relationship as regards routes, proximity to Avanti, association with the Yamunā and the Chambal and its sheltered position, so essential to the establishment of an independent political unit.